His article first reviews the explosive growth of the subprime mortgage market. It then discusses the ways in which the leading rating agencies, Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch, acted as government-approved gatekeepers to the financial markets and contributed to the rapid expansion of the subprime market. These three entities profited from the growth of that market and suppressed efforts by states to crack down on the predatory lending practices that had become endemic to it.

The article concludes that ongoing efforts to reform the regulation of the rating agencies fail to address their systemic bias against the public interest. As their regulators seek to tighten oversight of these important players in the financial markets, it is important to ensure that future regulation provides additional protection for consumers as well.